It is often necessary to service or repair components on the underside of a snowmobile, such as the suspension or track, and in order to facilitate service of these components, the normal practice is to tilt the snowmobile.
With the purchase of a new snowmobile, the purchaser will frequently require that metal studs be installed in the snowmobile track. To install the studs, it is also necessary to tilt the snowmobile to a position where the track is accessible.
In the past, snowmobiles have been tilted manually for service or repair and propped up in the tilted condition against an object such as a box, tires, or the like. Not only is the snowmobile in this tilted condition relatively unstable, but supporting the snowmobile in this manner can result in damage to the snowmobile. For example, upholstery can be ripped, decals on the body panel can be scratched, the handle grips, which normally have electric heating elements, can be damaged, or the windshield can be cracked or broken.
Another attempt to provide access to the under-surface of the snowmobile has been to lift the rear end of the snowmobile through a suitable hoisting mechanism and hang the snowmobile vertically. However, this type of support puts undue stress on the chassis of the snowmobile.
It has also been proposed to lift the snowmobile and rest the front and rear ends of the snowmobile on tables, or other supports. With this method it is necessary for the workmen to crawl beneath the snowmobile and then work in an overhead position, which is awkward.
Rotary repair devices have been used in the past to repair or service watercraft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,925 describes a rotary repair rack consisting of a pair of parallel rings. A boat to be serviced is moved by a crane, or other hoisting mechanism into the area within the rings, and then clamped to the rings. The rings are then rotated through a power mechanism to invert the boat for servicing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,161 describes a manually rotatable device for servicing a smaller watercraft, such as a jet ski. The device, as disclosed in this patent, includes a frame composed of a pair of rings, with each ring having a pair of diametrically opposed flat portions. With the device, the rings, with corresponding flat portion facing the terrain, are inserted over the ends of the watercraft and the rings are then connected together by connecting bars. The watercraft is then clamped to the rings and the rings are manually rotated to bring the second flat portions into contact with the terrain and invert the watercraft for service.